A few weeks ago, I told the staff at Hyperallergic that we would have to prepare for the very real, and likely, possibility that Donald Trump would return to the White House. Having been a close observer of US politics for decades, I knew the signs were there even if many of us were hopeful for a different result. As the realities of a second Trump term set in, I invited our staff to write short postcards that look back and forward, while reflecting on the role art and images play in the world we’re a part of. Each of these dispatches is a personal meditation in which you’ll hopefully find some insight, wisdom, and solace. For my contribution, I wrote a short essay that looks for the meaning of the radical in art, while thinking about the work of Joyce Kozloff, Mary Nohl, Elizabeth Catlett, and Ai Weiwei that I encountered this year.
This is a time for reflection, and we look forward to continuing to bring you the most important stories about art that will inform you and give you the facts you need to grapple and engage with the world before us. Art’s role is more crucial than ever. I would also ask you to consider becoming a Hyperallergic member today. Now, more so than ever, we need your support to ensure that your favorite independent art news source can continue to bring you reporting, criticism, and opinions that challenge the art field’s deep reliance on autocrats and billionaires. The art world isn’t only for the rich, and never should be. — Hrag Vartanian, editor-in-chief
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